Traditional Territory

In the Claims Case, the Cahuilla claimed the following:

Beginning at a point which is approximately 7'/2 miles North and 10 miles East of Volcan Mountain; thence Easterly in an irregular line to a point in the area of the Salton Sea, which is approximately 14 miles West from the town of Niland; thence Northeasterly in an irregular line to a point which is approximately 12 miles West of the Colorado River and three miles South of the Riverside-San Diego County line; thence Northerly in an irregular line parallel with and approximately 12 miles Westerly of the Colorado River to a point due West from Blythe; thence Westerly in an irregular line to the approximately area of the present Hayfield Reservoir on the Colorado River Aqueduct; thence Westerly in an irregular line following the line of said Aqueduct to a point due North from San Jacinto Peak; thence South in an irregular line to the approximate area of San Jacinto Peak; thence Southeasterly in an irregular line to the approximate area of Lookout Mountain; thence Westerly in an irregular line to Coahuilla Mountain; thence Southwesterly in an irregular line to a point approximately 2 miles South from the town of Sage; thence Southeasterly in an irregular line to a point which is approximately 9 miles Northwest from the top of Hot Springs Mountain; thence Southeasterly in an irregular line to a point which is approximately 4 miles North from said top of Hot Springs Mountain; thence South in an irregular line approximately 4 miles to the approximate area of Hot Springs Mountain; thence Easterly in an irregular line to a point that is approximately 3 miles North from the point of beginning; thence South approximately 3 miles to the point of beginning (U.S. Court of Claims 1950-1960: Docket 80).

The Cahuillas' easternmost known rancherias lay in the Coachella Valley at the northern end of Lake Cahuilla. Cahuillas from here, and perhaps from other Cahuilla groups, hunted in the desert areas to the east, and entered the Project Area from time to time to gather special plant resources. Saturnino Tones, an elder at Tones-Martinez Indian Reservation, remembers hunting in the Eagle Mountain area when he was young (Bean and Vane 1990).